Retrieve Data from Old Hard Drive

[JoeBeavis]

Hello,

Installed a new hard drive in iMac with OS X Mavericks. Problem is when I plug the old hard drive in using a USB device I have the OS can see the data and access all folders except the user folder that contains the data. Attempting to open it just opens an empty window and Get Info shows the folder is empty. I can't change anything in sharing and permissions.

When I plug the drive is it says It can't be repaired and will be read only.

I'm at a loss for how to go about successfully retrieving the data. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[JoeBeavis]

OS can see the drive*

 

[macthefork]

Have you tried using migration Assistant?

 

[Fishrrman]

Try this:

- First, dismount and unplug the external (old) drive
- Now, reconnect it again
- Assuming the icon for the drive appears on the destkop, do this:
- Right-click on the drive icon, and choose "get info" from the contextual menu
- The get info window will appear
- At the very lower right corner, there is a lock icon -- click on it
- Enter your administrative password
- Now, in the lower left corner, put a check mark in the box "Ignore Ownership On This Volume".
- Close the get info window

Does this help with anything?
Can you access your old account folder now?

 

[Weaselboy]

When I plug the drive is it says It can't be repaired and will be read only.

Why did you replace the drive to begin with? It almost sounds like a bad drive.

Attach the drive the start Disk Utility and run verify disk on the drive and tell us what it says.

 

[JoeBeavis]

According to Disk Utility it is a bad drive. I googled the error message at the time and all posts I read suggested the same. It can't verify or repair the drive.

Ignore Ownership is checked. I can't change permissions for everyone to anything. It is stuck on Read. Based on amount of available space compared to capacity of the drive I assume something is there. I can get into Applications Folder, Library, System etc. I can get into shared. The icon for Shared looks like a folder. The icon for the Mac User us a plain white square. Going to try Migration Assistant now. Thanks for replies.

 

[Fishrrman]

If Migration Assistant doesn't seem to work, I'd suggest you just try to copy whatever you can from the problem drive to somewhere else, ANYwhere else.

Get what you can off of the drive while you can, and sort it out later on...

 

[JoeBeavis]

No Luck Yet...

Migration assistant just spins its wheels looking for source.

 

[Weaselboy]

Migration assistant just spins its wheels looking for source.

Yep... sounds like your drive took a dirt nap on you.